Economic Development Directors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of economic development directors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for economic development directors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of economic development directors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for economic development directors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Economic Development Directors?
Do economic development directors need a degree? What kind of experience do economic development directors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for economic development directors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Economic Development Directors
Jobs Postings for Economic Development Directors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 19,766 (38%)
- No Education Listed: 14,597 (28%)
- Master's degree: 12,522 (24%)
- High School or GED: 2,698 (5%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 2,226 (4%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of economic development directors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 28% of job listings no education level was listed and in 24% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Economic Development Directors
Jobs Postings for Economic Development Directors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 1,791 (8%)
- 2-3 Years: 3,822 (17%)
- 4-6 Years: 7,977 (35%)
- 7-9 Years: 3,439 (15%)
- 10+ Years: 5,977 (26%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for economic development directors. In 35% of job postings for Economic Development Directors, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 26% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 10+ years of experience, while 2-3 years of experience was sought in 17% of job postings for economic development directors.
What Kind of Degree Do Economic Development Directors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for economic development directors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 32 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective economic development directors, and in 2021 a total of 1,184,241 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective economic development directors.
Top Degree Programs for Economic Development Directors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Economic Development Directors (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Finance, General. | 51,430 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Finance, General. | 51,430 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 37,634 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 34,937 |
| Management Science. | 23,510 |
| Public Administration. | 16,791 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other. | 13,371 |
| Environmental Studies. | 9,893 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,231 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,051 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 9,049 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 8,340 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,791 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician. | 4,769 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 3,005 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,897 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 2,821 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,345 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General. | 1,622 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,537 |
| Construction Trades, General. | 1,432 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 814 |
| Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. | 535 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 387 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 242 |
| Construction Trades, Other. | 157 |
| Social Entrepreneurship. | 48 |
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Degree Options for Economic Development Directors
Expand your leadership capabilities to change the business of doing business.
- Years To Complete: 3
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
Develop into a well-rounded, adaptive and strategic business leader with a comprehensive mindset.
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Economic Development Directors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by economic development directors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for economic development directors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Economic Development Directors
Based on 40,180 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Economic Development Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 7,876 | 20% |
| Project Management | 7,097 | 18% |
| Finance | 6,200 | 15% |
| Accounting | 3,608 | 9% |
| Fundraising | 3,515 | 9% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Economic Development Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 19,999 | 50% |
| Communications | 19,005 | 47% |
| Leadership | 18,909 | 47% |
| Operations | 16,703 | 42% |
| Planning | 11,843 | 29% |
Based on 40,180 job postings related to economic development directors, marketing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 20% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, finance, accounting, fundraising and auditing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for economic development directors, followed by communications, leadership, operations, planning and strategic planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 7,876 | 20% |
| Project Management | 7,097 | 18% |
| Finance | 6,200 | 15% |
| Accounting | 3,608 | 9% |
| Fundraising | 3,515 | 9% |
| Auditing | 3,423 | 9% |
| Business Development | 2,647 | 7% |
| Public Administration | 2,629 | 7% |
| Financial Management | 2,452 | 6% |
| Data Analysis | 2,266 | 6% |
| Risk Management | 2,069 | 5% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 2,063 | 5% |
| Process Improvement | 1,998 | 5% |
| Financial Statements | 1,997 | 5% |
| Business Strategies | 1,974 | 5% |
| Public Relations | 1,962 | 5% |
| Economics | 1,707 | 4% |
| Change Management | 1,589 | 4% |
| Sales Management | 1,545 | 4% |
| Thought Leadership | 1,529 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 19,999 | 50% |
| Communications | 19,005 | 47% |
| Leadership | 18,909 | 47% |
| Operations | 16,703 | 42% |
| Planning | 11,843 | 29% |
| Strategic Planning | 7,544 | 19% |
| Budgeting | 6,567 | 16% |
| Writing | 6,567 | 16% |
| Coordinating | 6,082 | 15% |
| Customer Service | 5,961 | 15% |
| Innovation | 5,904 | 15% |
| Research | 5,849 | 15% |
| Sales | 5,823 | 14% |
| Presentations | 5,801 | 14% |
| Problem Solving | 5,568 | 14% |
| Influencing Skills | 4,822 | 12% |
| Decision Making | 4,730 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 4,403 | 11% |
| Self-Motivation | 4,387 | 11% |
| Accountability | 4,364 | 11% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about economic development directors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for economic development directors.
What do economic development directors do?
How much do economic development directors make?
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